The Bureau of Land Management announced Nov. 22 it will temporarily set aside about 4,037 acres of public lands associated with a proposed Expedition Solar Project within Deschutes County, near Redmond. The land will be withdrawn from public land laws for two years while the BLM reviews the potential environmental impacts of the proposed project, according to a press release.

According to the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development, finding suitable locations for energy development can be challenging. Because they need a lot of land, these projects can impact farming, forestry and wildlife habitat.

The DLCD developed rules for wind and solar energy siting, intended to direct energy development to lands that have limited value to wildlife and farming.

According to a press release, the Biden-Harris administration approved 41 renewable energy projects on public lands, with 10 being solar, as of September 2024. The BLM has permitted clean energy projects on public lands with a total capacity of approximately 29 gigawatts of power, enough to power more than 12 million homes. It’s not yet clear how much power the Redmond area site would generate if the project moves forward.